Burger King Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Croissan'Wich Copycat Recipe

Sometimes you just can't beat a light, green salad with an oil and vinaigrette dressing. Other times, you get that craving for some nice fresh fruit and a handful of walnut halves. Then on other days — like say, any day that ends in the letter "Y" — what you really want is an egg, cheese, and sausage sandwich served on a croissant. Something like, perhaps, the Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissan'Wich from Burger King. That sandwich delivers about 515 calories and 35 grams of fat (13 grams of which are saturated fat), according to Burger King's website, so perhaps a better alternative is to make it yourself?

"I love croissant breakfast sandwiches, but not from fast food places like Burger King, so this is a must-have homemade treat," says chef and recipe developer Angela Latimer of Bake it with Love. When you use pre-formed sausage patties and store-bought croissants, it's a homemade treat you can make in all of 10 minutes from start to finish, so you can indulge in a great breakfast on weekend or weekday mornings alike. And while it's not like buying the occasional fast food breakfast sandwich is going to break the bank, it's more cost effective to make it yourself, so that's just one more benefit. Plus no drive to the restaurant, so your carbon footprint shrinks, too.

What you need to make a Burger King Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissan'Wich copycat sandwich is all literally in the name of the sandwich, save for a pinch of salt. The recipe calls for one croissant sliced in half, one large beaten egg, one sausage patty, and one slice of American cheese. Oh, and that pinch of salt.

But you're in charge, so don't feel you need to stop there. "Tomatoes would be a wonderful addition, fresh sliced, or fried with salt and pepper," says Latimer. "This is also the perfect sandwich to bulk up with more layers of your favorite toppings. More eggs, another sausage patty, bacon slices, and definitely more cheese."

For the sake of simplicity, we're discussing making one sandwich here, but of course this recipe can (and should) be scaled up to make multiples at once, with multiple eggs likely requiring several pans or a large griddle, but the rest all working just fine in one large pan. To get started, if you're using a frozen sausage patty, get it out to start thawing.

Now, slice the croissant in half and set it aside. Then, beat the egg in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the egg (resisting the urge to add pepper, which makes cooking eggs turn gray) and whisk that in.

Bring a small to medium-sized non-stick skillet or frying pan with some cooking spray to medium-low heat. Add the beaten egg and roll the pan to spread the egg in a thin layer. Then, leave the egg in place to cook completely through.

Now, run a spatula under the edges of the egg to make sure that it's released from the pan and then fold the edges inward, either folding the egg into halves or thirds, depending on the size of your croissant. Once the egg is folded into the proper patty size, remove it from the heat and set it aside.

Place your sausage patty into the frying pan and it cook at medium heat on the first side for two to three minutes, or until the side on the pan has browned. Then, flip and cook the second side of the patty. When you are about 45 seconds from removing the patty from the pan, add the slice of American cheese and allow it to melt while the sausage finishes cooking. You can use a lid to help the cheese melt faster if need be. Once the cheese has melted and your sausage is warmed through, it's time to assemble the breakfast sandwich.

To build up your copycat Burger King Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Croissan'Wich, start by placing the folded egg onto the bottom half of the croissant. Then, top that with the sausage patty with melted cheese, and then, put the top half of the croissant onto the stack. Serve the sandwich immediately. That is, unless you're going to go your own way on this and add any of the other toppings discussed earlier. And if you're looking for pairing suggestions for your hearty breakfast sandwich, how about some fresh fruit? Especially if you went ahead and added bacon...